Orlando Sentinel
Jun 18, 2020 12:20 PM
Gov. Ron DeSantis said recent worker tests at Orlando International had 52% positive rate. Airport says it was 0.4%.
Florida reported an additional 3,207 coronavirus cases Thursday, by far the largest daily increase yet and hundreds more infections than the previous record.
There have now been 85,926 cases and 3,061 deaths statewide, which includes an additional 43 fatalities reported Thursday compared with a day earlier.
Six of the newly reported deaths were in Central Florida, including three in Lake County: a 74-year-old man, and two women ages 55 and 103.
The other newly reported local victims were a 67-year-old man in Polk, a 91-year-old man in Volusia and a 53-year-old man in Seminole.
This brings the region’s death toll to 263, including 76 to date in Polk County, 50 in Volusia, 48 in Orange, 22 in Osceola, 19 in Lake, 17 in Sumter, 16 in Brevard and 14 in Seminole.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office has been attributing the recent daily spikes in cases to expanded testing. On Thursday, another 25,556 tests were logged for a total of over 1.5 million statewide since the pandemic began. The daily positive rate was 12.5%, the highest in a month, compared with an average positive rate of 5.7% this year.
A month after Florida began the first phase of reopening, a critical point in which experts say we would begin to see any effects the moves have had on coronavirus cases. Use these updating charts to monitor data trends by county.
Central Florida has now surpassed 10,000 cases, with 10,102, an increase of 650 from a day earlier. There are 316 new cases in Orange County for a total of 3,900; 68 in Polk for 1,702; 62 in Volusia for 1,057; 100 in Seminole for 976; 34 in Osceola for 926; 38 in Brevard for 688; 31 in Lake for 583; and one new case in Sumter for 270. (See details on all Central Florida cases here).
South Florida, home to 29% of Florida’s population, remains the hardest-hit region, accounting for 51% of cases with 43,819 total. That includes 1,262 new cases reported Thursday among Miami-Dade (23,854), Broward (10,111), and Palm Beach (9,854) counties. South Florida also has the most deaths at 1,674, 55% of the state’s fatalities, and includes 20 new deaths reported Thursday.
As coronavirus restrictions change, here are answers to frequently asked questions about what people should and should not do while trying to help slow the spread of the pandemic.
To date, the state has recorded 12,577 hospitalizations on its COVID-19 dashboard, including 188 new hospitalizations reported Thursday.
The state’s deadliest day remains May 4 with 59 reported fatalities, according to the Florida Department of Health. In April, the U.S. peaked at nearly 2,300 deaths in one day.
The U.S. has the most fatalities by far, followed by Brazil with over 46,000, the United Kingdom with over 42,000, Italy with over 34,000, France with over 29,000, and Spain with over 27,000.
Search for Florida coronavirus patients by ZIP code using this interactive map. Also see hourly updates on confirmed cases, the number of tests conducted and details of each patient. Data including cases in Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, Orange County, Collier County, Lee County, Manatee County, Pinellas County, Volusia County, Hillsborough County and others.
Within the U.S., New York has the most deaths with over 30,000, followed by New Jersey with over 12,000.
Florida ranks 11th among U.S. states in fatalities, but with more than 21 million in population and about 1 death per 7,017 residents, it ranks in the mid-20s for death rate.
You can sign up for new daily Florida coronavirus update by subscribing to The Health Report newsletter and as-they-happen Breaking News emails at OrlandoSentinel.com/newsletters.
Local coronavirus victims: Their lives remembered
- Pneumonia caused by COVID-19 killed both Pete and Eleanor Baker, retired snowbirds who were married nearly 62 years and spent winters in an RV in Central Florida.
- Herman Boehm of Mount Dora, who enjoyed a life filled with adventures with his wife, died March 29 after contracting coronavirus. He was 86. Well into his 80s, Boehm enjoyed near-annual trips to Europe with his wife. Earlier in life, they spent a year cruising in the Bahamas on a sailboat. They went scuba diving and skiing. They danced the Argentine Tango.
- A fiesty woman who witnessed World War II and 9/11 firsthand, Ada Ficarra’s story is one of survival, said her daughter Liz Starr. Born in the small town of Porto Empedocle, Sicily, Ficarra died April 26 at Sonata West, an assisted living facility in Winter Garden, where she had lived since 2018. She was 79.
Are you feeling stressed or depressed from the COVID19 outbreak? There are resources available for you. You can contact the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or visit https://www.samhsa.gov/disaster-preparedness
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick and avoid contact with people in poor health.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then dispose of the tissue.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Follow these recommendations for using a face mask: The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social-distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. Follow these guidelines for using a cloth mask.
Questions? Here are numbers to call
The Florida Department of Health has set up a call center to answer questions about coronavirus. There’s a number for Orange County, too.
The Health Report: Florida Coronavirus Newsletter
Daily
A daily update on the coronavirus crisis in Florida.
The Florida Department of Health’s number is 1-866-779-6121 and is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents may also email questions to [email protected].
In Orange County, the number to call is 407-723-5004; it’s available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
